I snapped this last night while trying to buy the awesome score for the brilliant UK show "Misfits" last night. Amazon's cloud player will work but the media gallery does what you see below. I can stream mp3s via Safari but playing in the background is super flakey. I wish they would just do an app. In the end I did buy the "Misfits" score but had to use my MacBook Pro to download it. Could have DLed it on my Android phone, of course.

“For another metric, we measure adoption. If you look at Windows 7, it took them about 20 weeks to reach 10% of their base. It took Lion 2 weeks. - Tim Cook”

Six million copies of Lion downloaded so far — 80 percent more than Snow Leopard - The Next Web (via thenextweb)

Sorry, kids, this was one of the many misrepresentations (lies, even) presented in today’s underwhelming Apple event.  Comparing Apple’s success to Microsoft’s is pretty much identical to comparing apples to oranges.  Why are the numbers above no significant? Because Apple charged a pitance for their single-versioned OS which was downloadable.  If Microsoft had such a system and chose to sell a single OS at $30/per, they’d reach higher saturation, too.  Instead, Apple did something entirely different and blamed Microsoft for not doing as well.“Yes, with the new ‘wheel’ from Apple, you can do so much more than you could with that old fashioned plank you drag around.  The guys who designed that thing were morons.”

Sure, it’s an improvement, and Apple’s system does move more product, but it’s hardly fair to compare.

But they pulled this crap all over the place.  It's like they were trying desperately to cover for the fact that they weren't announcing an iPhone 5.  Most of the numbers they presented were just utter bullshit, like those above.  At one point, they compared PC market growth to Mac market growth as though that meant something at all.  PCs are still everywhere.  It makes sense that their market growth is a paltry 4% since they're already owned by everyone.  Yes, Mac market share jumped 23% and that's nice, mildly impressive even, but the comparison to the PC market is just not a logical one.

They called the iPod Touch the number one handheld gaming system.  But that's a total fallacy.  The iPod Touch isn't a gaming system at all.  It's a convergence device.  It's like the Swiss Army Knife people claiming their knives are comparable to the butter knives in your silverware drawer.  And newsflash, I have yet to see Super Mario games show up on iOS.  When they do, maybe I'll think about retiring my DSi XL.

Is any of this type of behavior new? No.  But this time around it seems worse than usual to me.  Basically nothing in today's event made me want anything Apple is offering right now.  I couldn't care less about their entire line.  Well, I'd like an iPad 2, but only because iPlayer isn't available for Android.  But that had nothing to do with today's announcements and I'm not about to drop $400 just so I can use one app.

What really scares me is that there is so little actual innovation going on these days.  People will point to "Siri," Apple's new voice-recognition/command system available only on the iPhone 4S, but since when does anyone like to use voice commands?  Android has had similar features (not as built-up, obviously) for a while and I've never used it once.  Sure, some folks might like literally telling their phone what to do but I like the tactile experience.  I don't want to broadcast to everyone around me what I'm doing and I feel like speech requires more thought than just pressing buttons or touching icons.  I can be thinking about what I'm going to do while my fingers tap the icons on the screen, rather thing thinking of the right words to say to get the right app or info to pop up.

So, basically, Apple's "innovation" is something I don't think people really want.  It may seem like a cool bell/whistle, but really, it's nothing that innovative.  It's just another layer of interface.  Plus, who wants their requested information on that tiny screen?  I don't care how crystal clear the screen is, I still feel like I'm looking through a hole at the words I want to read.

Anyway, it's just more "fun" from the Apple Reality Distortion Field.

I still have three more questions for Apple:

1) Why does the iPhone 4S not support 4G networks?

2) Why no iPhone 5?

3) Why no plans to put out a midsized device, like a 7in tablet? (I already have a 10in netbook and you already sell a 10in Macbook Air, don't you?  Won't people who own those not want an iPad?).

Apple continues to make me shake my head.

Ah, if you’re a tech person or even use tech in your life, you need to watch “The IT Crowd.”

And it would be awesome to have an iPhone without giving money to Apple.  I dumped my AT&T contract as soon as the first unlock came out.

Of course, even if you could have an iPhone without giving money to Apple, you’d still be stuck with their “walled garden”.  You can get a lot from Cydia, but not enough and I think there are plenty more free apps that are actually useful in the “garden” than in Cydia, sadly.

But seriously—check out “The IT Crowd”—it’s on Netflix. TOTALLY worth it!!

And magically an icon for Apples new App Store appears in my dock. Anti-trust much? :\

Radio Station Apps: No Longer Welcome in the App Store

Apple Bans Android Magazine From The App Store

Why Does Apple Make Donation Apps So Hard?

In short, Apple seems to be using it’s position to stop certain information from getting onto it’s devices.  Want to listen to your favorite local radio station now that you live in a different city? Sorry, you won’t be able to on your iPhone.  That’s a shame since it’s just a little station with a tiny budget and not much ability to reach a national audience. Now, thanks to Apple, a great (and inexpensive) channel for reaching a national audience is gone.

Then, we’ve got Apple deciding whether or not you can read about competitors to Apple on Apple devices.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t like Apple telling me what I can and can’t read on my iDevice.  Sure, I can always pull up that Android magazine’s website in Safari, but then, what’s the difference between Safari and an app?

Finally, that last article I link to above talks about how Apple has stopped accepting apps that allow in-app donations to charity orgs (or anyone else).  Why is this? It sure seems like it’s because it means money passes through Apple’s infrastructure without them getting a cut.

Over all, I feel that it’s this kind of “walled garden” mentality that makes us less free as consumers.  When we start accepting limits on what content we are allowed to consume and how we consume that content, I think we become less free as a people, too.

You don’t really appreciate how important Net Neutrality is until you don’t have it anymore.

yaruo:

iPhoneを9万ボルトの電気ショックを与えるスタンガンにするアクセサリー「Stunfone」 - Touch Lab - タッチ ラボ

iPhoneのドックコネクタに接続し、9万ボルトの電気ショックを与えるアクセサリー『Stunfone』についての情報が公開されています。
スタンガンは、高電圧を発する電極を相手に押し付けることで電気ショックを与える護身用のアイテムで、電流が少なく抑えられているため、殺傷能力はないとされています。
公開されている動画およびWebサイトによると、

『Stunfone』は、9万ボルトの電圧で放電
iPhoneの全てのモデルに対応

という特徴があるようです。

rafer:

jeffrock:

[much snipped here]

Like the Ministry of Truth, it appears that Apple is deliberately attempting to usurp the meaning of the word Flash in the computing industry and redefine it. They’re tired of the word standing for an inefficient browser plugin. They’ve begun leaving Flash out of stock Mac OS X installs. They’re dodging its implied meaning in calls and pushing what they want it to refer to. Fast, efficient storage.

Down the memory hole, indeed.

Rafer sez:
Jobs is doing some sketchy stuff, vis-a-vis redefining “open,” et al. However, Flash is the longstanding private trademark of a pretty darn big company. If they can’t defend themselves by learning how to either ship a great version of this product or market decently, they deserve to be redefined and forgotten.

I started thinking about a related phenomenon the other night. My main takeaway at this point is that right now Apple understands the power of shaping and controlling language better than any other company out there.

For me the issue then becomes whether we, as consumers, should put up with it.  I’m switching to Android with my next phone for myriad reasons, one of which is I do think Apple has really started to exploit customer ignorance by enhancing it.

Offending Website #1: Engadget

First off, Engadget’s mobile version is annoying as hell because every time I back out of an article the main page jumps to the top so I can see an ad display. This results in me clicking on an article I don’t want to read because the page doesn’t jump to the top instantly.  Fine, show me the ad, but don’t show me the main page and then jump to the top!  Also, Engadget, don’t allow your writers to refer to the source link when the mobile version of your posts doesn’t display it!

No more: “Hit up the source link for more info.”

This is INCREDIBLY ANNOYING.

Also: Where are comments? I can neither read nor post comments to the mobile version of your site, Engadget. PLEASE CHANGE THIS.

There is one more thing I’d like to complain about Engadget doing, but see below for that.*

Offending Website #2: Gizmodo

Forget their recent rabid Apple fanboyism (“modal computing” is the future, huh?), Gizmodo’s mobile browsing experience has just been odd.  This is a shame since it’s normally much better than Engadget’s.  For instance, check out these screen grabs:

Does that look like gadget news to you? Does the below image?

Ironically, that second image IS gadget news, not that you’d recognize either as Gizmodo’s mobile version.  It seems like there’s a random full-page ad it throws up every so often.  The catch is that it’s clearly formatted for bigger screens.  And what’s the point of advertising for Gizmodo WHEN I’M ALREADY THERE??

>_<

Also, what’s with comments, Gizzy?  Sure, it’s cool that we can, at least, read them, but why can’t we post them? How am I supposed to make fun of the shameless Apple otaku that you have writing for you while I’m away from my desk?

Generally, though Gizzer does do mobile browsing pretty well, so kudos.

There is one more thing that Gizmodo does, however, and I bitch about it below.*

Offending iPhone Maker #1 (ok, they’re the ONLY iPhone maker): Apple Inc

Steve Jobs likes to say that you can surf the real web on the iPhone.  Steve Jobs also likes to say that Flash sucks ass.  Well, you’re wrong and then you’re right, but regardless, FLASH IS EVERYWHERE:

*The really annoying thing that both Engadget and Gizmodo do (LOADS of other blogs do this, too), is post a video (or a slew of them) and then don’t include any copy along with them to explain what’s going on in them.  So, if you don’t want to watch a video or can’t, you screwed.  Of course, it would help if Steve Jobs could pull his head out of his ass and support Flash.

I am SO switching to Android!!!

New MacBook Airs. 11” and 13”

I say, “meh.”

One word: “SNAP!”

That’s the sound it’ll make when you put it in your bag and accidentally lean against just once.  It’s just too damn thin and not small enough.  Why is Steve Jobs so afraid of making a netbook?

Yeah, big fat “MEH” from me, too.  I have yet to read about the event, but I know to not expect much.  Someone recently suggested Apple is at it’s most innovative right now.  Really? Is that why it took them almost 3 iPhones to add cut and paste?  Is that why there isn’t a camera on the iPad?

I’ll post more about today’s “event” later.  Until then, I remain adequately jaded.